


Dying Petals

by thescorpiondoctor



Category: The Transformers (IDW Generation One), Transformers - All Media Types, Transformers Generation One
Genre: Alternate Universe, Arcee - Freeform, Arcee panther, Bumblebee - Freeform, Cuteness and fluff, Drake - Freeform, Drift is hiding his magic mist powers to make Rodimus feel better about himself, Fanart, Fantasy AU, Gen, Innocent Fluff, Jazz - Freeform, Jazz kitsune, Kirin, M/M, Nobody can lie around Drift, Prowl - Freeform, Prowl needs more sleep, Ratchet manticore, Sideswipe - Freeform, Sideswipe and Sunstreaker, Sunstreaker - Freeform, Whimsical, adorableness, dragon - Freeform, dragon prowl, dragon rodimus, drift as a kirin, drift is a walking lie detector, fiery dragon meets mysterious kirin, fu dog Bumblebee, includes illustrations, kirin drift, mythical creatures, now with art!, ratchet - Freeform, rodimus as a dragon, rodimus spontaneously bursts into flames, side character subplots, unicorn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-05
Updated: 2020-06-01
Packaged: 2020-11-24 00:37:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 16,195
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20898764
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thescorpiondoctor/pseuds/thescorpiondoctor
Summary: When a small flightless drake chases a phoenix into the moors, the last thing he expects is to get lost and wind up with a fire lung full of mist. When all hope seems as lost as he is, a mystical savior shows up in a form that is least expected. As the mysterious creature leads him back to his friends, the flightless drake can't help but wonder if the beautiful kirin has put him under its spell.





	1. Lost

Mist echoed along the moors, obscuring the horizon. The sky was painted in hues of red and gold that rippled across the scales of a bright young wyrm as it flitted across the landscape. Rodimus lifted his head, his forked tongue flicking back and forth to taste the scents in the air. His tail lashed out behind him as his claws scrabbled across the slippery stones, desperate to get a foothold. He was a small drake, his scales glittering in hues of crimson, orange, and gold as reflective and vibrant as jewels. The mist chilled his slight frame, rippling across his fiery scales and choking the fire in his throat before it could escape his nostrils. He had never been one to covet the abilities of others, but at that moment he would have killed for a pair of wings to soar above the trees so that he wouldn’t have to drown in the chill of the mist.

The drake coughed, a cloud of smoke leaping from his jaws and dissipating in the air. The humidity stung his nose and throat as he snapped his jaw shut, snorting in dismay. He was beginning to forget the reason of his trek into the moors until a flaming golden feather drifted down from the sky to tickle him on the nose. It was then that he remembered the phoenix he had been chasing, and how he was hoping to catch it by sundown of the previous day. He had gotten distracted. Badly distracted. The cheeky firebird was nowhere in sight, and Rodimus was cold and wet and lonesome.

“Stupid mist.” He muttered under his breath, his talons squelching against a pile of damp moss. He shook out his forepaw, the corner of his upper lip twitching in annoyance. He wish he’d listened to Prowl’s warning about getting lost in the moors. The little romp among the bullrushes was no longer as fun as he had envisioned it would be, and none of his friends had been willing to follow him in. His crest drooped and he heaved out a sigh, climbing onto a large rock and tucking his legs underneath him. He swished his tail back and forth, watching the tip of it apathetically.

He hated to admit it to himself, but he was lost. Utterly and hopelessly lost. It would have been easier if one of his friends had agreed to come with him, because then they could have been lost together. It would have been so much fun, leaping through the moss and splashing about in the shallows, chasing each other through the mist. But alas, all of his friends had been smart enough not to follow him, and the mist was starting to play tricks on his mind.

Rodimus’ train of thought was interrupted by a light jingling sound like the sound of coins shifting in a leather pouch. He lifted his head, squinting into the mist as he tried to pinpoint the source of the odd sound. For a long moment, the moor was eerily silent and still, and the mist seemed to be slowly creeping closer, obscuring the small fire drake’s field of vision. Rodimus swallowed hard, standing up tall and puffing out his chest. He couldn’t let a mere sound scare him. An owl hooted in the distance, and Rodimus let out a startled squawk, leaping a couple feet in the air and then landing less than gracefully on all fours. Two golden discs appeared in the distance, encircling inky black pools that Rodimus realized were in fact the owl’s pupils. “Oh, be quiet, you!” He hissed at the owl, standing tall and hoping that no one had been watching.

The mist continued to creep ever closer. Rodimus could feel every last spine and frill on his crest standing on end, a rippling line of gold trailing down his back. The mist was beginning to choke out the sunset, wreathing his vision in white. Before, the mist had been a mere nuisance, but now it was suffocating, drowning out his senses. There was a constant hissing sound that rose as the mist crept closer, caused by the water vapor passing against his heated scales.

The jingling sound began to come closer as well, filling his ears with an eerie ring that didn’t seem to go away. Rodimus bristled at the sound, sitting up as straight as he could, stretching out his neck as long as it would go in an attempt to better breath within the mist. The chill of the mist bit at his scales and seemed to burn his nose and throat, stifling the fire inside him before it could meet the air outside his heated body.

The small fire drake began to panic. There was no way his friends would not have begun to worry by now, and it was even possible that Optimus had sent out a search party. It would be humiliating if his friends found him like this, alone and afraid and choking on mist. He had always been known as one of the braver creatures among his friends. Yet-... here he was, lost in the moors and with no one to turn to, mist filling his lungs and beginning to choke out the internal flames that kept him alive. The jingling sound grew louder in his ears, and he caught the scent of something moving closer through the mist.

“Hello? Op-Optimus, is that you? Prowl? Bumblebee? Anyone?” He called out, a shiver running through his frame. “Guys, is that you? Come on, sh-show yourselves!”

He paused, startled at the shaky and uncertain sound of his own voice, holding his mouth agape and getting a throatful of chilling mist. His eyes grew wide, and he let out a hacking, wheezing cough, his body convulsing as it tried to frantically eject the mist from his lungs. His frame flopped against the rock he was perched on as he heaved in frantic breaths, dread sinking in at the fear that it might already have been too late to hope that none of the mist had entered his fire lung. Rodimus’ vision began to blur as the hacking and coughing continued, the mist surrounding him and choking out the light of the rising sun. Two pale orbs hovered near his face like two silvery moons, an unfamiliar scent filling his nostrils, the coin-like jingling finally stopping for a moment. Before Rodimus could identify the scent or figure out what exactly he was seeing, his vision went black and his mind faded into unconsciousness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I finally managed to figure out how to add all the art I did for this story! Yaaaay! Image source for this chapter is https://www.deviantart.com/thescorpiondoctor/art/Rodimus-fire-drake-816068568. And yes, I am thescorpiondoctor on Deviant Art as well.


	2. Found

Mist swirled around the drake’s head, coiling in the air in spiralling patterns and wisps of white. He was unconscious. The kirin gently brushed a hoof against the drake’s side, startled by the warmth of the flightless dragon’s scales. He was still alive. That was good, however the kirin knew all too well that if too much mist entered the drake’s fire lung, there was a great risk of death.There had to be fire in the fire drake at all times or else there would no longer be a fire drake.

The kirin breathed a heavy sigh, tilting his majestic head forward, closing his eyes and reaching out towards the mist with a tendril of magic, the maroon woody antler on his head beginning to glow a deep ruby red. He latched onto the mist with his mind, locating every droplet of evaporated water and pulling it out of the fire drake’s lungs and throat. Spirals of mist snaked out of the drake’s nostrils and dispersed into the air, before the kirin willed the mist to float away from the unconscious creature’s frame.

Rodimus coughed, his eyes closed as his frame heaved in another attempt to purge his lungs of the stinging mist. His chest burned for a moment, and he paused, eyes flickering open as the fire inside him began warming his chilled body. He lifted his head, squinting at the sunrise, drearily blinking in confusion at the sight in front of him. The creature before him had the build of a deer, with frosted white fur and shimmering red scales along its back. Its neck was adorned by a flowing blood red mane that rippled around its shoulders and cascaded down its back. A branch like protrusion stuck out from its forehead, glowing with ruby red energy. The creature craned its head forward, mist swirling around its hooves as it stepped forward, its silvery ice blue eyes seemingly trained on Rodimus’ every move.

“Can I help you?” Rodimus asked, squinting at the sunrise as it illuminated the kirin’s delicate yet powerful frame.

The kirin bowed its head, slowly blinking its eyes before it raised its head again and pointed its nose slightly to the left, holding its head high as it stared off into the moors. Rodimus pulled himself to his feet, claws scraping against the stone he was sitting on as he craned his neck to look off in the direction that the kirin was staring.

“You’re far from the circle of the mountains.” The kirin answered after a moment, still staring off towards what looked like just more mist and moor. Its voice was soft like water rippling through a stream, yet melodic like the song of crickets at night. Its tones carried emotions deeper than the ocean in shades of sorrow and curiosity, along with a faint undertone of regret.

“Yeah, well, I ah...kinda got lost.” Rodimus replied, the crimson scales on his face darkening in embarrassment.

The kirin turned its stoic face back towards Rodimus, its tail flicking behind it slightly. It nodded its head, the glow fading from its horn. The mist began to creep closer once again. Rodimus gasped in alarm, scrambling closer to the kirin and curling up by its legs, not wanting a repeat of his earlier experience of nearly suffocating his fire lung. The kirin raised an inquisitive brow, and Rodimus sat up straighter, puffing out his chest and sliding off of the rock, wandering right towards the mist.

The Kirin’s horn glowed red, and the mist parted in front of Rodimus, leaving the small drake surprised and confused. “Did I do that?!” He chirped, his crest raising in excitement. He looked back at the Kirin, tail twitching excitedly as he flashed the other creature a toothy grin.

The kirin smiled softly, shrugging his shoulders and glancing off into the distance, the glow dissipating from its horn.

“Heyyyy- I didn’t know you could smile!” Rodimus teased, bounding back towards the kirin and grinning from ear to ear.

The kirin modestly bowed its head, glancing away as its smile faded slightly, before it looked back at Rodimus, shaking its head slightly. “Is there a reason you’re this far out on the moors?” the kirin asked, the glow fading from its horn.

“Well...it’s a funny story, actually.” Rodimus replied, reaching behind his head and bashfully itching at his crest. “Long story short, there was a bird, and I chased it. Wait-....did I just say that out loud?”  
The kirin nodded.

“Aw scrap-.... I had a much more interesting story in mind. Not that it was true, but it waaas more interesting. Honestly, I feel suddenly compelled to tell the truth around you, and I have no idea why.” Rodimus said, his crest drooping slightly as he lowered his eyes.

“Happens to almost everyone.” The kirin replied with a shrug, glancing away almost as if it was embarrassed.

“Is that your special ability? Being a walking truth serum?” Rodimus inquired, arching a brow ridge and tilting his head.

“You could say that.” The kirin mumbled slightly. “Although it’s only noticeable when another creature is trying to tell a lie.”

“I wasn’t lyyyying, or at least, not that much.” Rodimus purred, stretching out his neck to try and meet the strange creature’s gaze.

“So you got lost out here chasing a bird?” The kirin asked, attempting to change the subject.

Rodimus’ crest wilted and he lowered his head in shame. “Yes.” He answered.

“A bird?” The kirin repeated, swinging its head back towards Rodimus.

Rodimus swiftly nodded.

“What kind of bird?” The kirin inquired with an amused little hum, its horn glowing as it mentally batted the mist away from the vibrant little fire drake.

“A phoenix.” Rodimus replied, puffing out his chest. “Except….” he turned his head, his snout nearly brushing the tip of the kirin’s nose.

“Except what?” The kirin asked. Rodimus couldn’t help but smell the flowery scent of its breath. Its breath smelled like autumn cherry blossoms and rose petals, fragrant and soft. Rodimus sat there a moment thinking, before a slow blink from the kirin snapped him back to reality.

“Oh, uhhh...except it got away. And I got lost. And choked. And fainted. I’m pretty sure I got mist in my fire lung….” he said, turning his head away in embarrassment.

The kirin breathed out a small sigh and placed a delicate hoof on the fire drake’s shoulder, giving him a sympathetic little pat. “I know the way back to the circle of the mountains. You might not be lost forever.”

“Really?! You do?” Rodimus squealed, his crest standing straight up as the fire rose in his chest. He could feel the flames trickling down his spine, before his whole body ignited with a loud WHOOSH and he leaped away from the kirin in fear of singing its ivory and crimson coat.

The kirin stepped back, its eyes widening as it watched the drake prance away with his scales on fire. Its horn glowed as it pulled the mist around itself to shield itself from the flames. “I hope I’m not angering you-...” the kirin stated nervously.

“ME?! Angry?!” Rodimus scoffed, the flames whooshing even louder around his slight frame. “Of course not! Why-...I’m excited! Relieved! Ecstatic! Whatever other big words there are for feeling really, really, really happy and glad. I’m so happy, I’m on FIRE!” he proudly declared, puffing out his chest and coyly circling the kirin’s legs as if he were a smug, scaly little cat. A cat that was on fire.

The kirin delicately leaped out of the circle of flames that seemed to crop up as Rodimus walked around it, horn glowing as it sent out a wave of mist to quench the spreading flames.

“Oh-... oh dear-... I seem to have-...oops.” Rodimus stated when he noticed the little embers trailing off of his frame.

“Do all fire drakes do that whenever experiencing strong emotion?” The kirin asked, wrinkling its nose in concern.

The flames died out around Rodimus’ scales and his crest drooped at that comment. He looked away, pulling his tail close as the last flicker of flame dissipated from the end of it. “No, well…. not all fire drakes. Most of them only do it when they’re really, really angry. But me, well… I was born small and full of emotion, and my sire used to say I had too much flame in my fire lung for my own good. A lot of my friends get really annoyed by the fact that I can kinda ignite on command. I’m banned from all closed off dens that contain flammable objects, and must bring a bucket of water every time I have to visit the medicine den. Apparently, not all of my friends enjoy being toasty.”

The kirin chuckled at the last statement, bowing his head and letting out a small sigh. “Can I tell you something very honest?” it asked.

Rodimus nodded.

“My old clan would have me sit in the corner whenever they were discussing certain matters, until our head alchemist concocted a cure for my uhm… honesty effects.” The kirin said sadly, glancing away.

“Aww, hey, now that’s just mean. Your old friends must have been a bunch of liars.” Rodimus said, placing a paw on the kirin’s shoulder.

“Something like that.” The kirin muttered, shrinking away. “It’s all in the past. Sun’s rising, and I should be getting you home. Wouldn’t want a drake like you to be caught by any decepti-creatures.”

“Oh...yeah, right. But first, how do I know I can trust you to lead me home when you haven’t even given me your name?” Rodimus replied.

“Drift.” The kirin replied, lifting his head and staring off into the mist. “My name is drift.”

Rodimus smiled and let out a slight little purr. “Drift, ey? The name’s Rodimus. Pleasure to meet you, Drift.”

“Likewise.” Drift said, staring off into the horizon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Art credit goes to https://www.deviantart.com/thescorpiondoctor/art/Kirin-Drift-816068108.


	3. Lies

Rodimus pattered alongside Drift, the mist seeming to dissipate around him with every step. He held his head high, his steady gait light and airy as he pranced and pounced through the moors, running circles around his kirin companion. Despite the exuberant romping and flailing of the flamboyant drake, Drift walked on in a steady line. The rising sun barely cut through the gloom of the mist, as if it had cast an eerie grey veil over everything it touched. 

“So, Drift is it?” Rodimus asked, breaking the considerable span of silence as he began to take up a more normal gait alongside the kirin. 

“Yes?” Drift softly replied, not even glancing at the drake that was following on his heels, the red light of his horn illuminating the path ahead of them. 

“You got any friends out here?” Rodimus asked, sidling closer and nudging Drift with his shoulder as he leaped out in front of him. 

“Not any more.” The kirin coldly replied, his tail flicking in response to the question. He gingerly stepped over the fire drake and continued on in his journey. 

“Family?” Rodimus asked, cringing ever so slightly.

“No.” the kirin simply stated, still not turning to look at Rodimus. 

“Aw, c’mon, it must be awful lonely out here in this spooky wasteland. Everyone’s gotta have somebody. What about acquaintances?” the fire drake chirped, persisting in his attempt at conversation. 

Drift shook his head, still walking onwards in a straight line. 

“Enemies?” Rodimus squeaked, tilting his head, wondering if something he said had offended the kirin. 

“Many. We must be moving swiftly if we’re ever going to reach our destination by nightfall.” Drift answered. 

Rodimus’ crest raised in alarm and he gave Drift a concerned look. “Oh...well… You could have said something sooner. I can pick up my pace if you’d like.”

“No need. I only suggested moving swiftly because I am keen on delivering you to your destination.” Drift stated, his ears flicking slightly. 

“Are you sure your enemies can’t track us down?” The fire drake inquired, lowering himself closer to the ground and trying to walk more quietly.

Drift nodded slightly. “If my enemies were able to track us, they would already be here by now and we would be dead.”

Rodimus swallowed hard, flattening his spiny crest against his back and glancing back and forth between the trees. “That’s….um….reassuring.” A frog leaped out of the moss right next to where he set his foot down, and the fire drake jumped in alarm. 

Drift raised his brow before he shook his head and let out a long sigh, pausing in his tracks and swinging his head around to look at Rodimus.The red glow faded from his horn, making it look more like a gnarled piece of dark red wood protruding from his head. The mist began to creep in from all sides as he met Rodimus’ gaze with a searing intensity and said, “Look, you are relatively safe here. There is hardly anyone around for a long way off in all directions. The only creature you should be worrying about is me, and I can assure you that if I had ill intentions towards you, I would have already carried them out. Now, shall we continue our journey?” 

Rodimus shrank back, wincing as the mist began to swirl around his frame, his tail swishing from side to side in uncertainty. “Are you sure?” he squeaked. 

Drift nodded sincerely, his mane tossing slightly with the movement of his head. “Of course.” he replied, a slightly weary undertone in his voice. 

Rodimus still didn’t feel too convinced, however he tried to keep that fact to himself as he straightened out his posture and began to walk ahead, expecting Drift to follow. The kirin hesitantly obliged, walking forward and resuming his journey. The mist began to swallow the two traveling creatures, and Rodimus was soon having difficulty breathing. Drift seemed to glide through the mist, almost as if he were made of it, traversing the terrain with little to no difficulty while Rodimus began to struggle to keep up. 

At one point, Rodimus completely collapsed as the mist began to once again overcome him. He wheezed and coughed at the stinging sensation in his throat and lungs as the mist once again threatened to choke out the blaze in his fire lung. Drift paused in his tracks a bit ahead of where Rodimus was, tilting his head as if inquiring what was the matter. 

The fire drake weakly lifted his head. “I’m...fine-!” he wheezed, his crest draping limply over his spine. 

Drift’s eyes widened in alarm and he leaped through the mist, landing next to Rodimus and crouching by his side. “No, you’re not fine-.....here-!” he frantically stated, pressing his warm flank against Rodimus’ side. Without warning, Drift’s horn flashed bright red and the mist around them instantly dispersed. Mentally berating himself for not paying attention, Drift stretched out his neck and peered into Rodimus’ glazed over eyes, nudging his face with the silky tip of his nose. “Is that better? Can you get up?” he asked, sounding genuinely concerned. 

Rodimus coughed and sputtered, curling up and leaning against Drift, his crest raising ever so slightly as he tried to pull himself to his feet. 

“Here- let me help.” Drift softly stated, nudging Rodimus’ neck with his head to try and help the small fire drake lift his head. Drift closed his eyes, concentrating on the mist around him, realizing to his horror that it was once again slipping into the drake’s fire lung. He held his concentration, and soon the mist swirled out of Rodimus’ nose and out of his mouth when he opened it to cough. The fire drake let out a good long cough, and Drift used that as an opportunity to guide the chilling mist out of the drake’s airways and into the open air. 

Rodimus wheezed, pausing for a moment, blinking wildly and suddenly looking more alert than he had before. His crest sprang up along his back and he stared at Drift with shock and awe. 

“You-...you control the mist?” he asked, continuing to stare into the kirin’s icy blue eyes. 

“Yes.” Drift replied, as if it were no great feat, his horn still glowing as he kept the mist around them at bay. 

“Have you been doing that this whole time?!” Rodimus asked, aghast. 

Drift nodded, a slight smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. 

“That-! That’s incredible! And here this whole time I thought I-....” Rodimus’ words trailed off for a moment as he stared into space as the connections formed in his brain. 

Drift couldn’t help but let out a small chuckle, smiling softly in amusement at the baffled look on Rodimus’ face.


	4. Truth

“You- you saved my life-!” Rodimus exclaimed, leaping to his feet and practically bounding around Drift. 

The kirin shrugged, getting to his feet and slightly pulling away from the exuberant fire drake. “You’re warm.” He replied, shrugging off the exclamation and stepping forward, intending to continue on with their journey. 

“Drift, you saved my life-! How can I ever thank you? Oh gosh- just wait until my friends back home hear this! I’m sure they’ll love you! I can’t wait for you to meet them, although some of them might be a bit wary of your presence. Prowl can be a bit stiff, but he means well. Y’know, I’m starting to think that maybe Prowl was right when he said that wandering off into the moors on my own to chase that phoenix wasn’t a good idea.” Rodimus chattered, purring slightly and rubbing on Drift’s spindly, deer-like legs like a great scaly cat. 

Rodimus then paused, eyes widening in realization of what he had just said. “Gah-! Please don’t tell Prowl I said that. He’ll probably just clamp down on me with another one of his lectures, and then I’ll never have time to play- er- I mean do important work stuff for the-....okay, I meant play, but still.” he continued to lean against the kirin’s legs, his frame growing warmer with his excitement. 

“Rodimus…” Drift sternly stated, clenching his jaw slightly. 

“Yes?” The fire drake asked, staring up and batting his eyes at the kirin. 

“You’re hot.” The kirin replied, wincing slightly as he said it. 

“Aww, why thank you! You don’t look that bad yourself!” Rodimus coyly replied, weaving himself in and out of Drift’s legs. 

“No, I mean, you’re literally burning up-.” The kirin begrudgingly growled, his face twisted in an expression of pain. 

Rodimus grinned, flashing his sharp teeth as he winked at the kirin, wrapping his tail playfully around one of Drift’s legs. “Oh, stop it, you!” he teased, oblivious to the bit of flame that was rippling down his back as he gave Drift a small nudge with his head from below. 

“Enough!” Drift yelped, biting his tongue in pain and practically tripping over Rodimus as he tried to untangle the fire drake from around his legs. 

“Hm?” Rodimus asked, nearly toppling over before an accidental kick from the kirin sent him sprawling on his side. Drift managed to leap away from Rodimus, glaring slightly at the fire drake as he bent his head down to assess the slightly singed fur around his legs. 

Rodimus squinted slightly and gave the air a light sniff, cautiously licking the bruise on his side from where Drift had accidentally kicked him before putting his nose back in the air to try and decipher the odd scent. “I smell smoke. Is something burning?” he asked, before he noticed that Drift was glancing over the singed fur on his legs and sighing in dismay and annoyance. 

“Oh….” Rodimus gasped, the flames immediately dying down around his crest before extinguishing. “Oh no...I…. I’m so sorry! Are you okay?!” he asked, racing over to the kirin and fussing over the few singed hairs around the other creature’s legs where he had just been leaning. 

“I’m fine.” Drift replied through clenched teeth. “Let’s get you home.”

“Are- are you sure?” Rodimus asked, tilting his head and stepping forward, following after the red and white kirin. 

“Yes, I’m sure. Hurry up. We’re losing daylight.” Drift tersely replied, his voice sounding more annoyed than he had wanted it to. He hoped his words did not hurt the drake’s feelings, but he was also eager to be rid of him so that he could return to the silence and solitude of the moors.

Rodimus on the other hand went quiet, following in Drift’s footsteps with his head lowered and his crest wilted, ashamed of himself for not noticing sooner that Drift had been in pain. The two of them continued on in silence for quite some time, Drift’s horn glowing through all of it as he continued to keep the mist away from the fire drake despite how upset he seemed with him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter, shorter than what I was hoping to write. I might add more onto this one or merge it with some of the material from the next chapter, but it all depends on how it goes. Hopefully I haven't already committed a monumental failure in the characterization of anyone in this story, but I leave that up to you as the reader to decide. I think the story will really kick off when our two protagonists enter Autobeast territory.


	5. Night

The sun continued to arc on its weary path across the sky, obscured by the clouds and the mists of the moorland. It gave the illusion of the absence of time, the world seeming to stand still in that moment as the drake followed the kirin onwards through the mist. Rodimus was so embarrassed about the earlier mishap, and he wondered if Drift would ever forgive him. Drift meanwhile felt that he had been too harsh on the fire drake and had destroyed any possibility of there being a friendship between them.

It was almost painful for Rodimus to remain quiet with the flurry of words swirling around in his brain. He wanted so badly to tell Drift how sorry he was, to run right up next to him and inspect his injuries, but he restrained himself and kept ambling on in the silence of the moors. Drift was the one to break the silence when they reached the edge of the moorlands at dusk. The mountains loomed in the distance like great black sentinels stretching towards the night sky.

“I believe this is where I take my leave.” Drift stated, the ruby glow of his horn illuminating the path in front of them. He solemnly turned back towards the moors, the breeze catching his mane and tail.

Rodimus’ crest immediately caught fire at that comment, and he leaped in front of the kirin, his entire body ablaze as he stared pleadingly into Drift’s ice blue eyes. “Wait!” he exclaimed, crest prickling along his spine.

Drift paused, gazing down at the little fire drake and heaving out a small sigh. “Yes?” He asked.

“Please come with me-! I don’t want to walk to the mountain pass alone-!” Rodimus blurted out, staring pleadingly into Drift’s face.

Drift lowered his head, softening his gaze and sighing once again. “You’re a fire drake. There’s no more mist to choke out your fire lung, so why do you need me to come with you? I’ve guided you home. It’s…. Best we go our separate ways.”

“I don’t need you to come back with me-” Rodimus said, a bit of desperation in his tones.

“I was just leaving.” Drift stated, holding his head a bit higher.  
“No! Drift-! I WANT you to come back with me. Please-? I enjoy your company, and- and…. My clan has an excellent medic. I’m sure he could do something about the burns on your legs. At least let me do something to repay you for saving my life-!” The fire drake begged. “You could at least spend the night at our camp. It’s safe, and warm, and you won’t have to be alone!” he added.

Drift tossed his mane and glanced away, staring off into the distance. “I am just fine on my own. You didn’t burn me that badly. You’ve lived your whole life without me. I’m sure you won’t miss me for long.” he sorrowfully replied.

“Why not?! Come on, it’s just for the night, and then you can leave in the morning. Pleeeease?” Rodimus said, focusing on controlling the flames so that they only rippled along his spine as he grabbed Drift’s two front hooves in his front paws, making the most desperate and pitiful face he could muster.

Drift heaved out yet another sigh, reluctantly nodding his head. “Don’t expect me to be there in the morning.” he stated, standing tall as he tried to hide the weary smile that was creeping at the corners of his mouth.

Rodimus released the kirin’s delicate hooves and let out a whoop of glee, prancing circles around Drift before he began racing towards the mountain pass, his heart feeling light as he knew he was on his way home. Drift pranced along behind him as if the wind itself was carrying his hooves, his own heart thrumming in his chest with apprehension. He couldn’t help but feel the gaze of something hostile following him as he raced through the night behind the fire drake.

The mountains grew in the distance as the pair of them ran, the night illuminated by the blaze that ran down Rodimus’ crest. They could see the mountain pass in the distance that lead into the heart of Autobeast territory. They were almost there, momentum driving them forward before there was a ferocious shriek and a flurry of wings as something half flew and half slithered into their path. Cold blue eyes narrowed in the darkness as Drift instinctively threw himself in front of Rodimus to shield him from whatever it was that was blocking their path.

Black and white scales scraped against stone as the creature reared its head, six vibrant red eyes with bright yellow pupils caught in the light of Rodimus’ flames. Rodimus’ entire body erupted into flames as he expertly walked around Drift to face the creature as it rose above them in a flurry of wings. “Where have you been?” The thing roared, its voice booming across the entrance of the mountain pass as it rattled its wings, the rasp of its scales making it seem much bigger than it actually was.

“Whoa- Prowl! Easy- it’s just me, Rodimus, remember?!” Rodimus exclaimed, the fire crackling around his small form as he stepped up to face the creature. Drift came to realize that the creature in their path was a lot smaller than it had originally seemed with the flaring of its wings and the rattling of its scales. The ‘eyes’ he had seen earlier were actually the red and yellow eye spots on the creature’s wings that it held proudly atop its back. Drift stepped back, disengaging his defensive stance and politely stepping to the side, deciding that he would let Rodimus handle the situation as the fire drake was not in any danger.

“I know it’s you. I could see you coming from paces away, the second you stepped out of the moorlands. What are you trying to do, alert all the Decepticreatures to the location of our territory?!” The creature Rodimus referred to as Prowl hissed in an accusatory tone, advancing upon the fire drake with every last hair on its crest prickled in irritation.

“Prowl-! Calm. Down. It’s not like I was alone, and I doubt any of them could be watching anywhere nearby. We’re perfectly fine!” Rodimus countered as the other creature glowered at him. The dragon, for it was a dragon, rattled his wings in annoyance, once again unveiling the crimson eye spots as he circled Rodimus, inspecting him up and down and giving him a wary sniff.

“That’s because you’re an idiot and you never think anyone is nearby!” Prowl countered with a loud hiss, flaring his wings out even wider.

Rodimus grumbled under his breath, wanting nothing more than to give Prowl a witty retort, but deciding to bite his tongue for the time being to keep up appearances in front of the company he had brought along. “So much for a warm welcome. Now if you excuse me, I’ve been walking all day and I’d like to get into camp and get some rest. Come on, Drift. Don’t mind him. Most of my clan is nicer that our welcoming committee.”

Rodimus took a step to the side, attempting to step around Prowl before the irate dragon cleared his throat and reared onto his hind legs, using his wingspan to block the fire drake’s path. “Not so fast. Rodimus, WHAT is THAT?!” Prowl hissed, pointing a claw at Drift and launching himself forward, expertly landing on all fours right in front of the Kirin’s face, giving Drift a calculating stare.

Drift wrinkled his nose and leaned back ever so slightly, narrowing his eyes at the dragon that was angrily growling and rattling its wings, otherwise remaining silent and calm.

Rodimus huffed, throwing his flaming body in the narrow space between the kirin and the dragon, nearly burning them as they both leaped away to avoid getting licked by the flames rippling around his form. “Prowl, this is Drift. Drift, this is Prowl. Now, Drift, Prowl,...” he paused, taking a moment to gesture towards himself. “This is tired. I would like to be getting some sleep. I’m sure you can get to know each other on the walk through the pass. Shall we?”

Drift remained standing where he was, making no comment. Prowl flicked his tail at Rodimus, fast enough for its momentum to put out some of the flames around the fire drake’s face as a few of his scales scraped against Rodimus’ nose. He then stalked off towards the mountain pass, disappearing into the darkness.

Rodimus let out a sigh of relief as he began leading Drift into his clan’s territory, not noticing the near silent scrabbling of claws against stone as Prowl looped back around to tail them from behind. Drift however kept his senses on high alert, wary of every step he took. Even though he could never see the dragon as he followed Rodimus through the narrow and winding mountain pass, he could still feel Prowl’s eyes on his back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Image credit goes to https://www.deviantart.com/thescorpiondoctor/art/Prowl-Dragon-816069609. I always remember to credit the artist, even when it is myself. I absolutely loved writing this scene with Prowl. He was also super fun to draw. For some reason I imagine him having pads on his paws like a gecko so he can skitter up walls. Which means there may be a future scene in which we find Prowl on the CEILING.


	6. Day

Rodimus awoke to the light of the rising sun streaming in through the entrance of his sleeping cave, noticing a flicker of movement nearby. He sprang to his feet, his crest raising in alarm as he noticed Drift’s silhouette moving towards the exit.  
“Drift! WAIT!” He yowled, springing forward and leaping in front of the kirin, his crest ablaze with worry and concern. 

“Rodimus-... Did I wake you?” Drift asked, taking a step back to avoid being singed. 

Rodimus shook his head, staring intensely at Drift. “You’re not leaving already, are you?”

Drift slightly averted his gaze and gave Rodimus a small nod. “I told you I would be gone by morning, and I’ve already extended my stay as it is.” he replied. 

“Wait-! Can’t you at least let me introduce you to some of the others around here before you take off in such a hurry?” Rodimus begged, giving Drift the most pitiful look he could muster without sacrificing his dignity. 

Drift hesitated, taking a small step to the side as if considering walking around Rodimus, but the persistent fire drake blocked his escape. He sighed, stepping to the other side of Rodimus and attempting to get around him that way, but once again Rodimus jumped in his path. 

“Rodimus, please. I would rather not overstay my welcome.” Drift huffed, taking a couple steps back. 

“Aww, c’mon! You saved my life! I’m sure they’ll love you! Sure, some of them are a little rough around the edges and have trouble expressing their feelings, but if you stay just a bit longer, I’m sure that they would love to get to know you!” the fire drake pleaded, his tail twitching impatiently behind him. 

Drift shook his head, his own tail lashing out in agitation as he tried to figure out a way around the fire drake that wouldn’t directly involve stepping over him. 

“Please? Can’t I at least introduce you to the creatures we pass on the way out?” Rodimus begged. 

Drift hesitated a moment. “I ...suppose, if it doesn’t hinder my exit, then I will tolerate it.” he said with a long sigh. 

Rodimus grinned, leaping out of Drift’s way and motioning towards the rest of the territory. It had been too dark for Drift to notice the night before, but the Autobeast territory was located in a beautiful valley. He had suspected that their territory would be a lot more barren than it really was, considering how scarce they had been in recent events of the war. The mountains surrounding the area made it appear far more inhospitable on the outside than it really was, and Drift was mildly impressed at how the creatures within the valley were not only surviving, but they were thriving. 

The valley was full of lush green fields, rows and rows of blossoming cherry trees and other various fruit bearing trees and other plants that seemed to be well cared for despite what had been said about the Autobeasts’ lack of resources. Crystal clear waterfalls ran down the sloping interior of the mountain range that all but encircled the territory, flowing into rivers and streams that all collected at the center in a giant, gleaming lake. It was quite obvious that the Autobeasts had more than made do with the limited resources they had and had made the valley into a near paradise. Wild deer and Bison grazed on the fields, birds of all shapes and colors circling in the skies, while trout and salmon and other varieties of fish swam through the streams. There were other prey animals in the mountains, including goats and sheep whose hooves were adapted to the rigorous climbing their habitat demanded of them, of course some goats and sheep were busy grazing in the meadows. 

“It’s not as nice as our old territory, but we’ve made do with what we have. Everyone’s done their part to make it last…” Rodimus said, noticing how intensely Drift was gazing around the territory. 

“It’s…. It’s beautiful.” Drift stated, a slight tremor in his voice. “I never thought-.... I only assumed…..” 

“It wasn’t this nice when we first found it. It took a bit of planting and irrigation and time and effort to get it to where it is now, as well as rationing out prey items for the carnivores and in general conserving resources so that we’d have more for the future. The… Decepticreatures destroyed our old territory. Razed it to the ground. We took what we could and ran. It might just be the last habitable territory that the decepticreatures haven’t taken for themselves. They… they destroy the crops and poison the land everywhere they go, taking with them anything useful and leaving everything barren and broken in their wake. I can hardly imagine what would happen to us if… if they found this place.” Rodimus said, his voice going somewhat grim and solemn as he went on. 

Drift lowered his eyes, his horn pointing at the ground as he seemed to solemnly gaze off into the distance. As he walked, he remained silent as the fire drake spoke, a deep sinking feeling settling into his gut. Rodimus had been so innocent and trusting, welcoming him into the Autobeast territory with open arms. He wondered if the fire drake would continue to be welcoming if he discovered the monster that he truly was. He remembered all too well when the Decepticreatures had driven the Autobeasts out of their old territory. He had led the charge by Megatron’s side when the ancient, merciless dragon had given the order to flush them out, burn their territory to the ground, and make sure that no living thing could return to that place for millions of years.

Drift could almost feel Megatron’s acrid breath hot on his neck, whispering lies into his ear, those jagged teeth that had torn out thousands of throats mere inches away from his jugular. Back then, Drift had gone by a different name, the name that his master had given him. He shuddered at that thought. Deadlock, he hoped, was dead and gone, Drift standing in his place. He had left that cause and his master, although he was still haunted by the past. 

“....and those two sphynxes over there are Sideswipe and Sunstreaker. They’re a smaller variant, although they make up for it with speed. Then there’s Jazz. He’s a kitsune. He wears that visor because his eyes are super sensitive to different kinds of light. Usually when Prowl’s around, Jazz is not that far behind, although I’m pretty sure you’ve already met Prowl. I’m pretty sure he’s been following us. See those two little red things poking out of the tall grasses? Those are his horns. WE CAN SEE YOU, PROWL!” Rodimus chattered on, not realizing that Drift wasn’t exactly paying attention. Rodimus’ shouting alerted Drift back to reality, and the kirin blinked a few times before refocusing on the sound of Rodimus’ voice. 

“I wasn’t hiding.” Prowl shot back, his head popping up out of the tall grasses. “If I was hiding, you wouldn’t know I was there.”  
“Psshhhhht. Whatever. Anyways, as I was saying, Prowl has a nasty habit of sticking his nose in business where it doesn’t belong.” Rodimus huffed, holding his head high and flicking his tail as he walked along in front of Drift, trying to ignore the fact that Prowl was even there. 

If Prowl was in a mood to argue with Rodimus, which he was not, he would have brought up the fact that anything threatening the safety of the valley was his business, and that he was simply doing his job in ensuring that the intruder was being promptly escorted out of the territory. 

“Hm? What?” Drift asked, stopping in his tracks and swinging his head around to directly look at Rodimus. 

“Did you hear a single word I said?” Rodimus asked, looking somewhat hurt and offended at the thought that he was being ignored. 

“I heard enough of it. Sideswipe, Sunstreaker, Jazz, et cetera.” Drift replied, slightly increasing his pace. 

Rodimus sighed. “Should I start from the beginning or…?” he asked. 

“No need. I think I got the gist of it.” Drift replied, staring straight towards the exit. 

“You know, we really should have swung by the med cave on our way out and had Ratchet look at those burns on your legs. Why don’t you come back with me and I can introduce you?” Rodimus asked, a bit desperate to get Drift’s full attention. 

Drift glanced down at his legs, which other than having a few singed hairs, were completely fine. “I’d rather not…” He replied, quickening his pace even more. 

Rodimus opened his mouth to protest, but Prowl quickly and sternly cut in with, “Let him leave.” 

Drift dipped his head in Prowl’s direction, breaking into a full on run before Rodimus had time to say another word. 

“Drift-! Wait up!” Rodimus called after him, but it was already too late. The kirin had already bolted off towards the mountain pass, leaving Rodimus standing there next to a very squinty looking Prowl. Rodimus nearly bolted off after him, but Prowl stopped him by stepping on his tail. 

“Rodimus. I said let him leave. This isn’t his territory, and he isn’t free to come and go as he pleases. You know the rules.” Prowl stated, releasing the fire drake’s tail and circling around his frame, sitting down in the grass in front of him and looking him directly in the eyes. “You better hope he doesn’t blab our location to Megatron the second he thinks that no one’s looking. I sent Arcee to follow him. He’s in good claws.” 

“No-! No! No! No! Look at what you’ve done-!” Rodimus hissed, darting around Prowl and pacing towards the mountain pass. 

Prowl blinked, narrowing his eyes and getting to his feet, blocking Rodimus’ path. “Rodimus. Calm. Down. Arcee will make sure he’s taken care of. Now, sit. Why don’t we talk about what you’ve done?” He kept his tones steady and calm, attempting to stop the fire drake from flitting off and attempting something stupid. 

“What I’VE done?! WHAT I’VE DONE?! What about YOU?! You’re the one who sent him away! And what do you mean ‘Arcee’ll take care of him? She’ll slit his throat if he shows even the slightest sign of betraying us-! You’ve left him in the claws of a KILLER!” Rodimus roared, his entire body ablaze with anger.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It isn't Prowl's fault that Drift up and bolted. Rodimus is just blaming him because it's convenient. The real reason he bolted will be explored in a later chapter. Sorry he didn't get to meet all the Autobeasts yet. We'll hopefully get to that eventually. But as for now, I hope this chapter will be sufficient. I might have to write a couple prequel stories to go more into detail about the Autobeast exodus and Drift's Deadlock days in this au, as well as different bits of the war, but those fics would be much darker than this one. 
> 
> NaNoWriMo is upon us, and I'm hoping to be keeping up my word count. No promises, but there's a chance this and some of my other stories will be receiving a few more updates than usual this month. Wish me luck.


	7. Far

“Rodimus. Sit. Down.” Prowl ordered, his tail thumping down loudly next to him.

Rodimus begrudgingly sat, the flames around his body dissipating somewhat as he attempted to not leave a burn mark in the grass. “When I was a Prime, we wouldn’t have been sending away heroes like that!” he huffed, his upper lip curled in somewhat of a snarl.

“Well, you are not a prime any more, and thus your services as one are no longer needed. Optimus is in charge of this valley, and until something happens to him, you are to follow the rules that HE has set. Understood?” Prowl stated, arcing a brow ridge and flicking his wings.

Rodimus begrudgingly nodded, lowering his head in shame and remorse.

“In addition, just because someone ‘saved your life’ does not make them a hero. We have no idea where this Drift creature came from, and the fact that he is aware of the location of our territory is concerning. You don’t know what sort of ulterior motives he may have had. For all we know, he could have tricked you into allowing him into our territory, only to lead the Decepticreatures right to us. This valley, this territory is all we have. You should do a better job of protecting it. It was unwise of you to leave the safety of the mountains. That is, if you still consider yourself a worthy Prime. You don’t know what’s out there, or how much of our world the Decepticreatures have corrupted. I won’t bore you with the facts, but statistically your chance of survival out there was next to nothing.” Prowl lectured.

“Yeah, well… he still saved my life. Twice.” Rodimus argued.

Prowl shook his head and pinched the bridge of his nose between two claws. “He wouldn’t have had to save your life if you hadn’t put yourself in danger in the fist place-!” he countered, flicking his wings in agitation.

Rodimus opened his mouth to protest, but before he could say another word, a cheery voice chimed in, “Hey Rodimus! Prowl. Who was that you were just talking to?”

Rodimus turned his head in the direction of the voice to see a small, bright yellow fu dog with black markings and a red satin ribbon tied around its neck which was adorned in a small golden bell. The fire drake had been so busy arguing with Prowl that he hadn’t noticed the fu dog’s arrival despite the jingling of its collar and the exuberant wagging of its stubby little tail.

“Oh… hi Bumblebee. That was Drift. I was GOING to introduce you, but SOMEONE here had to chase him away!” Rodimus huffed, giving the fu dog the friendliest greeting he could muster while still glowering at Prowl.

Prowl gave Bumblebee a curt nod and greeted him with, “Bumblebee. I can see you’re still wearing that old thing. I could hear you coming from a mile away.”

Bumblebee smiled politely, glancing down at his collar and then proudly puffing out his chest. “Oh, yes.” He replied. “It was a gift from my human friend.” he added, beaming up at Rodimus and Prowl.

“It compromises security.” Prowl commented.

“Well, I like it. It looks good on you, Bee.” Rodimus said, getting to his feet and stepping between Prowl and Bumblebee almost as if sheltering the little fu dog from Prowl’s calculating gaze.

“Aw thanks!” Bumblebee chirped back, before he noticed that Prowl was beginning to flick his tail in silent agitation. “Oh...uhm… did I pop in at a bad time?” he asked, taking a couple steps back. “I can leave, if you two need to settle things here.”

“No need, Bee. You’re welcome to stay and hang out for as long as you want. Prowl on the other claw…” Rodimus replied, turning his head and glaring daggers at Prowl.

Prowl got to his feet, attempting to hide his tail behind his back as he squared his shoulders and gave Rodimus a challenging stare. Rodimus made a face and stuck out his forked tongue, wrinkling his nose at the dragon. Prowl huffed, deciding that it was not worth his time to argue with the impertinent fire drake now that the intruder had been properly dealt with, and so he turned to leave.

“And where do you think YOU’RE going? This isn’t finished, Prowl!” Rodimus angrily snapped, bearing his fangs.

Prowl calmly turned and ducked around the flaboyant fire drake, paying no heed to his outburst.

“Rodimus-” Bumblebee cut in, giving the fire drake a look of concern.

“How do you even live with yourself?! Can you for once think of other people and how THEY’RE feeling before you go chasing them off?!” Rodimus shouted after Prowl, ignoring the little fu dog.

Prowl shook his head. If only Rodimus knew how much he thought of other people, then maybe he would learn to be quiet for once. But that did not matter. All that mattered was ensuring the safety of the other Autobeasts and taking care of his many responsibilities. Arguing with Rodimus was not working so long as the fire drake refused to see sense, and so Prowl made the calculated decision to make himself scarce. Rodimus was too angry to see reason, and Prowl had better things to do than senselessly feeding the flames of Rodimus’ fury.

“Your actions have greatly compromised the security of our territory, but seeing as no one is going to listen to me, I have work to get done.” Prowl stated, a slight growl in his tones as he stalked off. It was hard to tell if the growl was just for emphasis or if he was genuinely upset about the situation.

“See how YOU like it when I go chasing off all your friends! Oh, wait! YOU DON’T HAVE ANY!” Rodimus yowled after the black and white dragon, his crest burning with rage.

“I don’t have time for friends! I’m too busy keeping all of you idiots safe!” Prowl hissed over his shoulder as he dashed off into the distance.

“Rodimus, he was waiting all day and all night, pacing back and forth like a mad creature just waiting for you to return. You oughta be a little easier on him. He was worried sick. We all were-!” Bumblebee said, watching in dismay as Prowl’s tail disappeared into the cave systems.

“Oh hush, I’m fine. See?” Rodimus countered, patting his own chest with a paw. “All here, all in one piece. He didn’t have to make such a fuss. What’s his deal anyway? Does he always have to ruin everyone’s fun?”

“You owe him an apology.” The little fu dog chirped, giving Rodimus an exasperated stare.

“Bumblebee-!” Rodimus huffed, holding his nose in the air and crossing his forelegs over his chest in indignation.

Bumblebee shook his head, continuing to give Rodimus that stare.

Rodimus rolled his eyes and grumbled, “Oh, stop that. He asked for it. And it’s not like I was THAT wrong.”

“You said some pretty harsh things to him. I think you might have hurt his feelings.” Bumblebee scolded, gently placing a paw on Rodimus’ side.

“This is PROWL we’re talking about for prime’s sake. I doubt he even HAS feelings.” the fire drake huffed, his entire body lighting ablaze.

Bumblebee quickly pulled his paw away and leaped back, glowering up at Rodimus. “Well, if someone said something like that to you, wouldn’t it have hurt YOUR feelings?” he asked, before giving his singed paw a few licks.

“.....Maybe? But Prowl’s not like me. I’m sure he has a thicker skin than that.”

Bumblebee sighed, shaking his head once again. “Roddy, I know you’re upset that he sent your friend away. I mean, I would be too if it were any of my friends. But look- I’m sure he has more feelings than he’s willing to admit to anyone. You weren’t here when he was pacing back and forth at the pass just waiting for you to come home. We were all about to organize a search party, and then you show up with this strange creature and we don’t know what to think. It’s great to see a new possibly friendly face, but you know how Prowl is. Give him some time. I’m sure that if you work things out then eventually he’ll stop seeing Drift as a threat. You and Prowl are two of the most stubborn creatures I know. Of course you’re bound to butt heads about things from time to time, but what matters is that you make it right. You have to be the one to step up and apologize, because I know you’re sorry, Rodimus. Even if you’re too proud to admit it yet, I know you didn’t mean what you said. Prowl does have friends, and you’re one of them. It’s your job, as his friend, to make sure he knows that.” the little fu dog lectured, smiling up at Rodimus.

Rodimus pouted, turning away from Bumblebee’s stare. The little fu dog was right, but Rodimus did not want to admit that he himself was wrong.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh! Hey! Updates two days in a row! Maybe nanowrimo isn't so bad after all... Let's just hope I can pull through to the end of the month. Oh, and I'm so excited I got to introduce Bumblebee in this chapter! I've been waiting to do his reveal for ages ever since I started drafting the concept for this story. Bumblebee has always been one of my favorite transformers characters since I was a little kid, but who am I kidding. Almost all of them are my favorites! 
> 
> I feel bad for Prowl in this chapter. He needs a nice long nap after all the hours he spent waiting for Rodimus to come back.
> 
> ALSO- I finally figured out how to add pictures to my works on here, so I was able to go back and add a few of the drawings I did to their respective chapters! If you haven't done so yet, why not check back on the earlier chapters to see the art I went back and added.


	8. Near

The sleek blue panther padded through the moors, her icy blue eyes scanning the terrain. Her sleek feline form slipped over the mossy stones, her claws digging into the muck and mire as she followed the kirin’s trail. Her hide was marked with pale pink stripes under her eyes and along her tail, a few small spots dotting her flanks. The mist was making it hard to see, and the moss muffled any footsteps, which made it easy for her to remain hidden, but also made it easy for her quarry to evade her. Arcee flexed her claws as she dragged herself over yet another mossy boulder. The red and white silhouette was fading into the horizon, and she knew that if she didn’t keep her distance, the kirin would be alerted to her presence.

She did not like the damp chill of the place. The water droplets in the air clung to her fur, weighing her down with every step. She wondered how in all of creation the kirin managed to traverse such difficult terrain. It was a miracle that Rodimus had made it out alive, him being a fire drake and all. She was not a happy cat. Drenched from nose to tail and disoriented from her surroundings, she paused in her tracks to sniff the air. All she got was a nose full of mist, the air obscuring any sign of the kirin’s trail.

Arcee knew that Prowl would not have sent her into the moors without good reason. He trusted her judgement and relied on the information she brought back on multiple occasions. She was aware that Prowl knew that she was not one to ask questions, and when it came to it, she was willing to go for the kill. She had watched the kirin for hours, studying his every move and doing her best to stay hidden, and from what she had observed, he was not heading towards Decepticreature territory any time soon. In fact, the kirin had gone so far into the moorlands that Arcee wondered if he ever had any intention of coming out.

The mist was playing with her mind and strangling her senses. The ground was too wet for her claws to keep traction, and it was hard to be stealthy when she could barely get a foothold. It was at that moment that she made a grave mistake. Her claws slipped on the rock she was climbing over, sending her backwards and into a pile of moss with a loud squelching sound. Arcee flailed and hissed in alarm. For a second, she thought she was drowning. Her struggle alerted her quarry, and after hours of keeping her cover, all of her time was wasted when the kirin bolted and faded into the mist.

Arcee paused for a moment, considering giving chase. She knew that the moors were the kirin’s domain, and that she was no match for him when it came to traversing the terrain with speed and stealth. When she was in her element, she was more than swift and stealthy, stalking the mountains and forests with relative ease, however she could not have been farther from her element than she was in the moors.

The mist continued to obscure her vision, and she could hardly tell the direction in which the kirin had fled. If she were to chase after him, there was no telling whether or not she would ever be able to find her way back home. The trail she had left in her wake was already fading. Slowly, reluctantly, she clawed her way to the top of the rock she had just fallen off of and turned around. She made sure that the direction she was facing was the direction she had come from. She was lucky that the kirin had mostly headed in a straight line, or else she would have had a much harder time finding her way back, or worse, she would have stumbled her way into an ambush.

The latter seemed much less likely. While the visibility of the terrain made it easy to obscure one’s position in the moors, Arcee doubted that the decepticreatures would have put up with the constant mist and the slippery moss. They would have to put themselves at as much a disadvantage as their potential opponents if they had planned on utilizing the terrain for an ambush. Plus, Decepticreatures tended to make a lot of noise and leave plenty of destruction in their wake, and the moors were eerily silent as if the land was mourning some great eternal loss. There was no trace of broken branches on the sparsely scattered trees or scent of blood and sulfur in the air.

It was oddly comforting that the place was free of the stench of battle. It hardly smelled of anything at all, besides the absence of all the unpleasant scents that Arcee had come to know during the war. Like most of the Autobeasts, she had believed that their current territory was one of the only places left unscathed by the ravages of war. If the decepticreatures had ever walked within those moors, the mists had washed out any trace of them. She found it unlikely for that to be the case, considering how difficult and inhospitable the land felt. If the Decepticreatures had been there, they would have done something to it. Arcee was prepared to stand by that theory as if it was cold, solid fact.

It seemed it was safe to theorize that Drift was alone in the moors, and that his clan, if he had one, was very far away or they were no longer around. Arcee assumed the latter, as it just seemed to fit with the sense of sorrow that permeated the atmosphere. She had seen enough. She had more than enough information to report back to Prowl, and she was done getting soaked whilst slipping over rocks and getting moss between her toes.

The sleek blue panther slipped over the stones, her tail dragging behind her as she began the long trek home. She was less than thrilled to hear the ominous clap of thunder in the distance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two chapters in a day? I am on a roll! At this rate, maybe I will finish nanowrimo this year! Here's to hoping. Anyways, it took forever for me to figure out Arcee's form for this AU. I know I wanted to base her Dying Petals form off of her Transformers Prime and Aligned incarnation, but I was having trouble figuring out what in the heck she would be. Finally I decided to look up panthers in mythology, because I wanted her to be some sort of feline creature, and then I just decided to roll with it. I imagine her looking something like a mountain lion or a jaguar, with a bit of cheetah mixed in. Either way, she is one unhappy kitty.


	9. Rain

It had begun to rain outside. Prowl could tell by the sound of the water pattering down and the scrabbling of claws as several Autobeasts flooded into the cave system in an attempt to stay dry and warm. He could hear the clamor of voices as one by one they filed into their respective dens, some of them even passing the cave he was using for his office. He nearly cringed every time he heard one of them stopping by his doorway. He had affixed a cloth tarp over the entrance to his office den for a reason. Couldn’t those uncivilized cretins respect that? 

A low growl rumbled in Prowl’s throat as a rumble of thunder outside caused him to smudge the ink on the parchment he was working on in surprise and alarm. Prowl looked at his carefully written handiwork in dismay, mourning the loss of his perfectly executed manuscript. Every letter had been formed with careful precision, his penmanship as neat and accurate as he could possibly muster. Logic dictated that he should not have spent so much time fussing over every last letter, but he knew that it would be much more satisfactory to look back at his work later on if it was actually legible. 

Prowl glared at the smudge on the paper, nearly tempted to crumple up the page and start the report all over again, but he knew that doing so would be unwise as he was getting behind on reports and Optimus would not care about a minor smudge or an ink stain. He was not going to do it all over again. It was not worth the waste of time and materials. The smudge on the page was just a nice little reminder that he too made mistakes. He just hoped that his judgement about the intruder in the territory had been correct, and that he was right to make sure that Drift was sent swiftly on his way. He did not trust outsiders, especially not outsiders who resembled well known Deceptibeast ranking officers. 

Was he paranoid to think that Drift resembled the infamous Deadlock, or was he dead on in his calculations and nobody else realized it yet? Regardless, Prowl knew he could not get caught up in wondering whether or not he had made the right choices. He had to make as many right choices as he could and hope that the wrong ones would not become fatal errors that ended in death for his fellow Autobeasts. 

Prowl resumed writing his report, trying to drown out the sound of Autobeast chatter. He had almost gotten back into the rhythm of things when he heard the tarp over the entrance to his office cave flutter. He flared out his wings as a warning to whoever or whatever had dared enter, hoping that it was just the wind what had caused the movement of his makeshift curtain as he continued to work on his report. He felt something soft brush his side, but he paid no heed to it. Instead, he narrowed his eyes and focused even more intensely on his work, hoping that by ignoring it, the seemingly ominous presence in his room would go away. 

“Heya Prowler!” a voice called out as a black and white face popped out from behind a stack of papers. 

Prowl groaned, his tail whacking against the ground with an irritated thump as he continued to refuse to acknowledge the creature that had entered his room. The kitsune laughed, placing his black mitted paws on the desk that Prowl was using. Prowl watched in horror as the three tailed fox climbed up on his desk, knocking over his bottle of ink and sending several of his neatly organized stacks of papers scattering in all directions as he shoved them aside to make room for the length of his body. 

Prowl sat there, staring in shock at the mess the kitsune had just made of his neatly organized office, before a low growl erupted from his throat and he pulled his wings in close to his sides. All of those carefully labelled parchments, all of those neatly stacked and filed scrolls, all of that hard work and painstaking effort going to waste and spilling out on the floor and flying all over the room. Prowl was mortified. The shock would have lasted longer, if this had not been at least the second time someone had knocked over something of his that week, not counting the previous months and years. He was a bit surprised that Jazz was the one doing it, as usually the kitsune was at least somewhat more polite than this. But no. He just had to make a mess of things when everything else about Prowl’s day was already messed up. He thought that Jazz knew better than that, but clearly he did not. 

“What do you want, Jazz-” Prowl barely managed to hiss between clenched teeth as he dropped back down to all fours and began frantically scooping up all of the misplaced paperwork, trying to get it out of the way before the kitsune could scatter it all again. He was already seething, but he did his best to try and hide it because he refused to give the fox the satisfaction of seeing him so upset. 

The kitsune just smiled, stretching out on top of Prowl’s desk and draping his front paws over the edge facing Prowl, leaning into the dragon’s face and stretching out his neck. “Ah’ heard there was a new creature passin’ by…” Jazz said, reaching out with his front paws towards Prowl’s face as the dragon lifted his head, grabbing the two whiskers that adorned Prowl’s face and twirling them around his claws. Prowl narrowed his eyes. He was not in a mood to be trifled with, and he thought that by now Jazz knew that he hated when anyone dared touch his whiskers. His day was already bad enough as it were. Why did Jazz of all creatures have to be the one who was making it worse? 

“That does not concern you.” Prowl hissed, considering whether or not Jazz would let go of his whiskers if he jerked his head back and away from the kitsune. He didn’t want to risk damaging the fragile things, and so far Jazz’s grip on them was only an annoyance, among the many other things that had happened to him that day. 

Jazz let out a long laugh and grinned, showing off his sharp teeth as he gently pulled Prowl’s face in closer by his whiskers. “Aww, cummon, Prowler! Dun’ be shy-!” he teased, touching his nose to Prowl’s. 

A low warning growl escaped the dragon’s throat. Prowl was not willing to sit and take any more of it. In one swift, quick motion, he shot his head forward and snapped his jaws around Jazz’s muzzle, his teeth digging deep enough to draw blood. Jazz let out a loud ‘yip’ of alarm and jerked back, instantly releasing Prowl’s whiskers, the fur on his back bristling in pain and alarm. He sat there staring at Prowl in shock and alarm, surprised at the fact that the dragon had just bit him. He could hardly believe it. 

In all the time that Jazz had known him, Prowl had never bitten anyone save for the Decepticreatures in the heat of battle, and he had always used that as a last resort. He did not know what to make of the situation. Instantly, the smile faded from his face and he froze, continuing to give Prowl a dumbfounded and somewhat terrified stare. He realized that he must have crossed a line with the dragon, a line that was so obvious and screaming in his face that he had just failed to notice because he was too caught up in trying to get Prowl’s attention. 

He had thought that Prowl had seemed a bit more irritable than usual, but he had been expecting the dragon to have more self control than that. Prowl, the dragon who was given probably the most crap of almost any autobeast and yet who took it all like a champ, the dragon who had hardly ever once lashed out at anyone no matter how badly any of them treated him, had just bit him on the muzzle. Jazz really had to rethink his approach towards getting Prowl’s attention, or else he knew there would be serious consequences and he might even lose their relationship over his own stupidity.

Prowl released Jazz’s muzzle, glaring intensely into the fox’s blue visor. Jazz averted his gaze, wondering what it was he had done to deserve getting bitten. He HAD pulled the dragon’s whiskers, but he was just trying to be affectionate and he had been careful not to hurt him. Then the guilt set in as he noticed the stacks and stacks of parchments that he had just casually thrown off the desk. Those piles must have taken ages for Prowl to sort. No wonder the dragon had been getting behind on his paperwork. And here he was barging in and making a mess out of everything that Prowl had worked so hard to keep tidy even with everyone coming in and out of his office and asking him for things. His gaze returned to Prowl’s face, and he lowered his head in shame. He felt an odd sinking feeling in his gut that was obviously guilt. It could not have been anything else, as he had just eaten. 

Jazz was not sure if he was seeing things, but beneath all of the anger and frustration in the dragon’s gaze, Prowl looked genuinely hurt. His eyes were bloodshot and sunken in, the crest of fur on the dragon’s back looking somewhat of a disheveled mess. It was obvious that the dragon was more sleep deprived than usual, and Jazz had been too selfish and excited to see him that he had not noticed the signs. He wished that he had noticed sooner that Prowl was struggling and it was not a good time to be playing jokes on him or invading his space. 

Jazz let out a small whimper of dismay, knowing full well that what he had done was wrong. “Prowl-.... I’m-” he started, attempting to apologize before the dragon brusquely cut him off. 

“Get out.” Prowl barked, spitting fur and blood out of his teeth, the long white fur along his spine standing on end as he rattled his wings, his tail lashing behind him. It almost looked like the corners of his eyes were twitching. He was a sight to behold, with his teeth bared and fur bristling. He looked like something straight out of a nightmare.

Jazz wasted no time in making his escape. He immediately leaped over Prowl’s shoulder, his ears flattened against his head and his tails tucked between his legs. Prowl snapped at one of his tails as a warning as he slipped under the tarp, the kitsune leaping into the hallway to make his hasty escape. 

“AND STAY OUT!” Prowl barked, standing tall and preening slightly the moment Jazz was gone, surprised that he had gotten him to leave so fast. Jazz might have seemed to have won that round, but Prowl was proud of his own little victory, although he was slightly embarrassed at the fact that he had had to bite Jazz to achieve it. A slight smile crossed his face at the realization that he would be left to his peace and quiet. He was free, finally free from Jazz’s incessant pestering, if only until the next time that sly fox decided to come in and make another mess. If that was Jazz’s intention, he was ready.

It was only another few seconds before a very soaked and bedraggled panther looking thing dragged herself into his office, and Prowl had to hide his smile and quickly spit the fur out of his teeth before Arcee could notice that it was there. 


	10. Shine

Arcee narrowed her eyes at Prowl, uncertain of what she had just witnessed. She had just seen Jazz dashing by on her way to Prowl’s office with his ears back and his tails between his legs, running as if he was spooked by something. That was wrong. Jazz hardly ever got spooked. And now Prowl was acting weird, or at least, Arcee thought she had seen him smiling, but that couldn’t have been right. Prowl never smiled. What was that he had just spit out of the corner of his mouth? Was that fur and...blood? Arcee wrinkled her nose. She was too soggy and exhausted to question it.

“Prowl...sir?” She asked, sitting down on her haunches and straightening her spine to appear alert and at attention, her sides heaving as she tried to catch her breath.

Prowl raised an eyebrow, resuming the formal and militant posture that he was known for. “Report?” The dragon asked, nodding in her direction.

“I lost him, sir…” Arcee replied, lowering her head.

Prowl remained silent.

“The moors are too vast to travel alone, and I was at a major disadvantage considering the difficult terrain. He was alone for what I gathered. Somehow he seems to control the mist, as he navigated the moors with relative ease. There were no traces of deceptibeasts in the area. No traces of anything really. No wonder nobody’s claimed that land for themselves. It’s practically inhospitable. It is nearly impossible to navigate unless you travel in a single direction, as the mist and the moss quickly swallow any scent or trail.” The panther continued, watching Prowl with a careful eye.

Prowl nodded. “Good. Tell Optimus to double the guard around the mountain pass. And my suspicions?” he replied.

“I cannot confirm or deny whether he is indeed the war criminal Deadlock. His silhouette is eerily similar, but we have not heard from or seen Deadlock in several years. It may be possible that he is deceased, and that that Drift creature simply looked like him.” Arcee replied.

The dragon gave her a small, calculated nod. “Can you confirm whether or not he really saved Rodimus?”

“There is no way a fire drake could have survived in that environment without some sort of magical or divine intervention. I believe that for now, Rodimus’ word is sound, although he could have cut back on the theatrics.”

Prowl nodded again, considering her words carefully. “Anything else?” he asked.

“Negative, sir.” she stated, shivering slightly as she spoke.

Prowl dipped his head. “Thank you. You are dismissed.”

Arcee let out a long sigh of relief, flopping down on all fours and letting out a shiver and a long sigh of relief.

“And Arcee?” Prowl added, opening his wings slightly.

“Yes?” the panther asked.

“Go to the med cave. See Ratchet about a warm blanket and a hot meal. After that, get some rest. You’ve earned it.” The dragon replied. He was glad that at least someone was doing their job right.

“And what about you, sir? I heard you haven’t slept since Rodimus...” Arcee asked as she pulled herself to her feet, turning to leave, being careful not to drip water onto the mess of parchments on the floor. Usually Prowl’s office was a lot neater than this.

“I’ll be fine. I have documents to sort. Now, unless you have anything else you wish to bother me about, I suggest you make yourself scarce.” Prowl sighed, watching her leave.

Arcee nodded, dragging herself into the hallway and heading straight for the med cave as Prowl had ordered. As soon as she had arrived, she was greeted with the sound of Jazz’s obnoxious chatter.

“So there I was, right, paws around his whiskers and starin’ into his eyes, just playin’ with him, you know, when he bit me. Prowl BIT me!” The kitsune said, regaling the red-orange, white, and grey manticore in the tail of what had happened as the massive lion like beast inspected his face.

“Well, you shouldn’t have harassed him so much. I’m honestly not surprised at this point.” The manticore grumbled. “Now hold still, Jazz! I can’t determine the damage you’ve brought upon yourself by YOUR OWN STUPIDITY if you don’t HOLD STILL!”

“I’m sorry,....what?” Arcee asked, narrowing her eyes.

“Well look what the cat dragged in. Oh wait! That is the cat! Hi, Arcee! Didja hear? Prowl BIT me!” The kitsune chirped, holding his head high and showing the mark across his muzzle as if it were some sort of epic battle scar.

Arcee narrowed her eyes. “Is he okay?” she asked, padding over to one of the leather mats laid out and laying down on it.

“He’ll live.” The manticore medic tersely replied. “He’s lucky Prowl didn’t spit any acid into the wound. Honestly Jazz, what did you to to provoke him so badly this time?”

“No. I mean Prowl. I can see that Jazz is fine. I just came out of his office. It was a mess, and he seemed more sleep deprived than usual.” Arcee replied.

The manticore nodded, pausing for a moment of consideration. “Well… if he starts looking out for his own personal health and gets some rest for once, and you kids all stop harassing him, I’d think it’s safe to say he’ll be fine. Of course, he might be coming down with some terrible illness and is trying to hide it from us all, but it isn’t like him to not tell anyone about ‘threats to security’ like that.”

“Yow-! Doc, cut it out!” Jazz yelped, jerking his head away as the manticore began to dab a salve on his wound that looked like a ground up sticky concoction of plants. The manticore finished, stepping back to admire his work with an annoyed huff before he turned and began walking over towards Arcee.


	11. Better

Arcee narrowed her eyes. “Is he okay?” she asked, padding over to one of the leather mats laid out and laying down on it. 

“He’ll live.” The manticore medic tersely replied. “He’s lucky Prowl didn’t spit any acid into the wound. Honestly Jazz, what did you to to provoke him so badly this time?” 

“No. I mean Prowl. I can see that Jazz is fine. I just came out of his office. It was a mess, and he seemed more sleep deprived than usual.” Arcee replied. 

The manticore nodded, pausing for a moment of consideration. “Well… if he starts looking out for his own personal health and gets some rest for once, and you kids all stop harassing him, I’d think it’s safe to say he’ll be fine. Of course, he might be coming down with some terrible illness and is trying to hide it from us all, but it isn’t like him to not tell anyone about ‘threats to security’ like that.” 

“Yow-! Doc, cut it out!” Jazz yelped, jerking his head away as the manticore began to dab a salve on his wound that looked like a ground up sticky concoction of plants. The manticore finished, stepping back to admire his work with an annoyed huff before he turned and began walking over towards Arcee. 

“Alright, Arcee. What’s wrong with you, besides the usual of course? You haven’t been making your appointments.” the manticore grumbled.

“I’m… I’m fine, Ratchet.” Arcee replied, a bit intimidated by the medic’s bulk and bad attitude as he stalked towards her.

“What about me? I’m in pain-!” the kitsune called out, dramatically placing a paw over his forehead as if he were about to faint. 

“Quiet, Jazz.” Ratchet narrowed his eyes, his scorpion like tail arcing over his head. “You’re fine, now are you? You don’t exactly look fine…. If you’re fine, then what are you doing in my med cave? 

“Orders. Prowl sent me in here for a hot meal and a warm blanket… And then he told me to get some rest.” Arcee replied, wincing slightly as Ratchet drew nearer, stopping right in front of her and lifting her chin with one of his massive white paws, staring intensely into her eyes and inspecting her face. It was at that moment that Arcee’s nose wrinkled and she let out a delicate little sneeze. 

Ratchet was not very amused. “You’re fine, you say, hmmmm?” he asked. “I’ve counted maybe….. Six moons since your last physical? And you’re sopping wet. Probably going to catch cold, no doubt.” Ratchet tilted her head slightly with his paw, inspecting her other eye. “Why didn’t he send you to the mess hall or your sleeping cave then, hmm?” 

“I don’t know-... Ask Prowl.” Arcee replied as Ratchet released her face and began to inspect her side. 

Ratchet nodded, rustling his wings slightly as he continued to inspect the sleek blue and pale pink panther. After a moment, he stalked over to one of the rock shelves in the cave, going through his medical equipment with his back turned to Arcee, his tail swishing back and forth behind him. “Well, he wasn’t wrong about you needing a blanket.” he stated, pulling a woven wool cloth off of the shelf and tossing it over her shoulders. 

“Hey-! How come I don’t get a blanket!” Jazz complained. 

Ratchet let out an annoyed snort and rolled his eyes, ignoring the kitsune’s commentary. 

Arcee meanwhile sat down and huddled under the blanket, shivering slightly as she waited for her body heat to warm the woolen cloth that was draped over her. 

“Prowl was also right that you should eat something, however considering that this is a medical cave and not the mess hall, all we have are herbs and bandages, and if you were eating the bandages it would indicate that there is something seriously wrong with you.” Ratchet stated, a flicker of warmth in his eyes. 

“I have no intention of doing so.” Arcee deadpanned, laying her head down on her paws. 

Jazz let out a small laugh and smiled. “But what about me, Ratchet? Aren’t you gonna bandage my face? You’re not scared of me eating them off, are you?” The kitsune teased.

Ratchet nodded. “Good. I wouldn’t have suggested it if I suspected that you would attempt something of the sort. And no, Jazz. There’s just no point in bandaging it at this point. Just watch it for infection and keep it clean and it should heal up on its own. If you really want though, I can bandage your mouth shut.” he replied with a hint of amusement on his face as he watched Arcee close her eyes. 

Jazz opened his mouth to protest before he closed it and fell silent, looking a bit dejected as he lay down on all fours. 

The corners of Ratchet’s mouth twitched upwards in a smile as Arcee began to drift off to sleep. For once, the old manticore was content that his patients were cared for and there was momentary peace in the medbay. His hackles lowered, and his tail raised as he stalked over to one of the shelves to take inventory of the herbs and medicinal plants in his collection. 

The temporary silence was broken by Jazz calling out, “Ratchet-!”

“What?!” Ratchet growled, wheeling around and narrowing his eyes, the hint of a smile all but fading from his face. 

“Can ah go now?” The kitsune asked.

Ratchet’s tail lightly thumped against the ground, a small sigh escaping his throat. “Yes, Jazz. You may leave. In fact, I would have preffered for you to have left sooner.” 

“Aww, but aren’t you gonna’ miss me?” Jazz teased, getting to his feet and striding gracefully towards the exit, brushing one of his three tails playfully under Ratchet’s chin. 

Ratchet scowled. “No. Get out. No wonder Prowl bit you. I don’t see how he puts up with you sometimes.” The old manticore huffed. 

Jazz paused a moment and lowered his head. “Ah didn’t mean no disrespect…” he said, his tails curling closer to his frame. “I wasn’t tryin’ ta’ hurt him or mess up his stuff. I was jus’ happy ta’ see him, that’s all. He’s been pacing the border for two days straight waiting for Rodimus to come back, an’ now he’s finally back, and well… to be honest, I miss him. I was jus’ tryin’ ta’ get his attention.” 

Ratchet nodded ever so slightly. “I see. Well… whatever you did to provoke him, don’t do it again. And see to it that he’s getting enough sleep. I’d rather not clean up the mess if we have another one of his episodes of getting himself hurt because he’s too tired to walk in a straight line.” He lightly patted Jazz on the shoulder with a paw, slightly softening his gaze. 

“Thanks, Doc. I’ll keep that in mind.” Jazz replied with a small smile. 

Ratchet dipped his head and made a shoo-ing motion with his paw, pointing with his nose at the exit. “Good fox. Now on with you. I’m sure you have better things to be doing that skulking about the med-cave.” 

Jazz nodded, quietly slinking out of the med cave. 

As soon as he was gone, Ratchet breathed a long sigh of relief at the wonderful quiet that had descended upon his territory.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Phew this month's been a ride. I've been hopping back and forth between stories and starting more projects than I can finish. I hope this chapter is satisfactory. Ratchet's just so done with everyone's nonsense, and Jazz isn't helping by being a drama baby. I think I need to study his character a bit more if he's gonna continue to be around in future chapters. 
> 
> I'm so tired. Nanowrimo's been stressing me out a lot, but it's a welcome distraction with everything that I have going on. Writing really helps me process my emotions, and lately I've been having a lot of emotions to process through due to recent life events. I hope this chapter is sufficient. I'm going to try to write more in this story soon. Thank you to everyone who has supported my stories. You've really inspired me and helped motivate me to write. Without your comments, I'm not sure if I would have continued working on this project for so long. Your kind words really make a difference and mean a lot to me. 
> 
> I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Thank you for reading. 
> 
> -thescorpiondoctor


	12. Worse

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rodimus has a chat with Jazz and then meets Sideswipe and Sunstreaker by the prey pile.

Rodimus bounded through the corridor, rounding a corner and nearly careening into a fluffy wall of black and white in his path. Skidding to a halt, his eyes widened and he let out a startled cry. The obstacle in his path turned its head and leaped gracefully out of the way, before settling back down on all four paws. 

“Oh-! Hi Jazz-!” the fire drake called out. 

Jazz smiled and dipped his head in a nod. “Hey, Rodimus! How’s it hangin’?” he replied. 

“It’s going alright, I guess, all things considered. Bumblebee won’t stop pestering me about apologizing to Prowl, and so here I am, on my way towards his office.”Rodimus stated, before he narrowed his eyes as he noticed the clump of herbs stuck to the kitsune’s muzzle. 

Jazz nodded and flicked an ear. “Oh, I’d be careful if I were you. I went to see him earlier, an’ he wasn’t exactly happy to see me.” 

“Since when is he ever happy to see anyone? He’s Prowl-! The guy practically is the embodiment of the word ‘grumpy’ and ‘ornery’ and all other words that mean ‘not in the least bit fun’. I think I can handle him. It’s not like he’ll be any worse than usual.” Rodimus replied, his tail flicking behind him. 

“Aw, cummon, Rodimus. You don’t give him enough credit. Prowl can be a lotta fun when you know what you’re lookin’ for.” Jazz said with a sly smile. 

Rodimus rolled his eyes. “That depends on what you think is fun. I mean, if you like watching paint dry or listening to Ratchet lecture on about different medical conditions, then sure, I guess he’s fun. Fun as a dusty old rock. I don’t really even want to apologize to him, but Bumblebee probably won’t get off my case until I do. I don’t even know what to say to him, because I’m sure the second I open my mouth, he’ll point me towards the door and say something about being too busy for silly, immature fire drakes.” 

Jazz let out a light chuckle and grinned. “That sounds like Prowl alright.” he stated, before he paused and gave Rodimus a curious look. “Well, what’s there to apologize for? Maybe I can help.”

“Well…” Rodimus lowered his eyes. “I yelled at him and told him he doesn’t have any friends.” he mumbled.

“Ouch…” Jazz raised an eyebrow. “Yeah, you probably should apologize. Maybe you could start with telling him that he really does have friends and you’re one of them.” 

“Yeah, well… it’s not like I hurt his feelings. As far as I’m concerned, Prowl doesn’t have any feelings. And speaking of ouch, what happened to your face?” Rodimus said, attempting to change the subject. 

Jazz sheepishly lowered his head, turning away and wrapping his tails around his frame. “Prowl bit me…” he answered, his ears flattening against his head. 

Rodimus’ eyes widened and he took a step back. “He BIT you?!” he gasped. 

Jazz shyly nodded. “Yeah… it was after I kinda… pulled his whiskers. You’re not the only one who owes Prowler an apology.” 

Rodimus’ eyes widened even more. “Wow-... That was ...brave of you, I guess? I dunno. I… don’t know what to say, really. Uhh… did it hurt.” 

Jazz nodded. 

“You are a legend.” Rodimus said. “If only I was brave enough to get close enough to pull his whiskers. Maybe I oughta try that sometime. I wonder if it’ll make him stop lecturing me so much. Although… if he bit you… I mean, Prowl NEVER bites anyone. He must’ve really been mad. Yeah… maybe pulling his whiskers is a bad idea…” 

The kitsune shook his head and gave Rodimus a stern look. “I wouldn’t recommend trying, especially with the mood he’s in.” 

“Hmmm… yeah, good point. On second thought, I just realized that I’m starving. Haven’t eaten much since my little adventure, y’know? Maybe I should grab a bite and then go talk to Prowl. No sense apologizing on an empty stomach.” Rodimus said, turning around and heading off in the opposite direction.   
“Well… suit yourself.” Jazz said with a shrug, shaking his head as he watched Rodimus scamper off. 

Rodimus meanwhile followed his nose towards the scent of food, his stomach letting out a small rumble of protest as he headed deeper into the tunnels. Once the fire drake found himself in the mess hall, his ears were assaulted by the sound of yowling and screeching as two nearly identical winged feline creatures were squabbling over something that the fire drake could not yet identify on the other side of the long stone table that had been carved into the center of the room.

“It’s mine-! I saw it first!” The red sphynx howled, feathers flying in the air as he dove at his twin. 

“Oh, come on-! I saw it first! You just beat me to it because I wasn’t going to ruffle my feathers diving at it like some uncivilized whelp!” The sunny golden sphynx protested, snapping at his brother’s tail. 

Rodimus widened his eyes at the altercation, before he lit himself ablaze and leaped forward, landing neatly in between the pair of bickering Autobeasts. The sphynxes promptly darted away from the fire, the golden one letting out a loud hiss as the tip of his tail was set alight. The red furred sphynx found his brother’s predicament hilarious and proceeded to drop to the floor in a fit of laughter. 

“ENOUGH!” Rodimus roared, his tail lashing behind him as he swiveled his head back and forth between the two, giving them both warning glares. He gave them a moment to calm down before he continued. “Now, what’s this all about, hm?” he asked. 

“Sideswipe pounced on the turkey that I was about to eat and snatched it right out from under my nose-!” The golden sphynx replied, licking the fur on his chest back into place and giving his brother a wounded look. 

“That’s only because Sunstreaker was taking FOREVER to get to it, and I was hungry-!” The red sphynx protested, the fur along his back bristling as he glowered at his twin. 

“Well… why not split the turkey or one of you pick a different piece of prey from the pile?” Rodimus suggested, the fires dying down around him. 

The twins looked at each other, staring each other in the eyes before they looked at the bedraggled corpse of a turkey that they had been fighting over. In their scuffle, the bird had lost most of its feathers and all of its limbs were bent at odd angles, one of its legs entirely missing because of how they had been tugging on it. Noticing the beaten up state of the prey, Sunstreaker wrinkled his nose in disgust. 

“I change my mind. Have at it, Sideswipe.” Sunstreaker stated, stalking over to the pile of other things that had been brought in from the recent hunt. 

Sideswipe’s eyes widened and he almost began to drool. The red sphynx leaped over Rodimus and tackled his golden brother in a hug, nuzzling his mane as he sent a few golden feathers flying. “You really mean it?! Thank you-!” he chirped, rasping his tongue affectionately along the back of his brother’s neck. 

“Oof-! Get off-! Of course you can have it!” Sunstreaker grumbled, trying to squirm out of the hug. “I can’t eat something looking like THAT-!” he added, pointing a claw at the dead turkey. 

“Aw why not?” Sideswipe asked, curling his paw into a fist and messing up Sunstreaker’s mane as he released him. 

Sunstreaker hmph’d and turned his nose up in the air, smoothing down his mane with his paws and giving Sideswipe a glare of annoyance. “It’s uncivilized.” he replied, his tail swishing in agitation. 

“So…” Rodimus asked, giving them both a confused look. “You two had no reason to be fighting in the first place?” 

Sunstreaker pulled a decently sized salmon off the top of the food pile and then sat down on one end of the long table and set the fish neatly between his paws. “We had every reason to be fighting when we both wanted that turkey, but now since it’s gotten all yanked about, I’m not in the mood for turkey any more.” 

“Okay, so… problem solved?” Rodimus asked, tilting his head. 

“Problem solved.” Sideswipe happily replied, his mouth full of meat as he looked up from his prize, a few turkey feathers stuck to the animal’s blood on his face. 

“Ugh, can you at least eat that off the table instead of off of the floor like some unintelligent animal?” Sunstreaker scolded after delicately chewing and swallowing a bite of his fish.   
Sideswipe rolled his eyes, and Rodimus headed to the food pile himself and pulled out a particularly plump goose. He carried his food to the table and sat down next to Sunstreaker, before he began to ravenously tear into the goose’s belly with his teeth. 

Sunstreaker made a face and scooted away from Rodimus, growling slightly as a stray drop of blood from Rodimus’ messy eating spattered the side of his face. 

“Can you not?” The golden sphynx hissed, glowering at the fire drake while Sideswipe snorted in amusement. 

“Oh...Sorry-!” Rodimus replied, not realizing that he was talking with his mouth full. 

Sunstreaker rolled his eyes and did his best to ignore Rodimus and Sideswipe as he continued to take neat, little bites from his fish. 

As Rodimus continued to tear into his goose, his mind began to wander. He started to wonder if Drift was eating wherever he was, and if the kirin had a stable food source in the moors, and if not then how could he help.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaaaack sorry it took me so long to get this out. I was planning on not putting it up until I finished the art for it and completely forgot to upload, and there are a couple more chapters that I have sitting in my files. I'll update this with the art later once it's done. I just figured I should update this.


End file.
